


Flirting with a guy I sat across for weeks without talking

by EmmaSpencer



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Adopted from twitter, Books, Different Meeting, Fluffy Ending, Greg a bit not good, Hope, M/M, Meet-Cute, Promptbunny, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Waiting, different kind of communication, silent book club
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:15:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22257049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmaSpencer/pseuds/EmmaSpencer
Summary: Greg in order to get himself out of the flat joins a silent book club. The misterious ginger hair man sitting across him week after week captivates his attention. So Greg makes up a plan to try and engage in a conversation with him...
Relationships: Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade
Comments: 24
Kudos: 161
Collections: JustMystradeThoughts Plot Bunny Adoptions





	Flirting with a guy I sat across for weeks without talking

**Author's Note:**

> I adopted and ran with this little pot bunny. One of many by Paia, our lovely plotbunny adoption manager.

Greg glanced around nervously. It was too silent for him, the book they were reading was engaging but still his nerves got the best of him. Small space, too small to be surrounded by people right now, the silence reminded him of the silent treatments he got from his wife after an argument. He couldn’t believe his therapist suggested this, if he really knew him, if he really cared about him he would not encourage this. But most likely he was only after his money, that little that he had after the divorce. He swore that this was the last time he attended.

Next week however found him in the room again, turning a page when everyone else did, not look out of place. The sole reason behind his return was the man. He was sitting across him with a perfect posture. His long fingers gently holding the book, like he was holding a priceless art piece.

Over the weeks, Greg kept more and more times looking at the red head rather than the books they were supposed to read. And it seemed like the other noticed him as well. Or he was making it up to make himself feel better. Not that a man like him would notice a poor, old, used detective. No one did, no one cared, no one wanted him anymore. Greg came out of his self-pity pit when the posh guy cleared his throat. Greg looked up and couldn't miss the other's stern look. Was he annoying to be around? Was he disturbing his aura with his depressing thoughts? Or he was just warning him, trying to get him out of a downward spiral...probably not the latest he concluded.

It was a silent book club which meant no talking before during or after. Greg got braver once he realised that whenever they eyes met the mystery gentleman blushed, he could feel being observed while he read, he could see the warmth in those otherwise cold eyes. So Greg had to retort to other means to get his attention. It became his little crusade to make him smile or push him out of his balance.

First he started with longer and longer glances. But he wasn’t willing to look away from the book for more than a second or two. So he changed tactics.

Next week he took two books to the book club. It came from his nieces’ collection.

‘Hello, Red Fox by Eric Carle’

while everyone else was reading the weekly appointed book, he took it out, placing the other in his lap and made a scene flipping through the book, his eyes fixed on his target. Greg’s red fox only raised an eyebrow at it.

Next time Greg brought something he was kind of familiar with

‘You by Caroline Kepnes’

trying to reinforce that the message was really for him. At second thoughts the book choice might have been a bad one, knowing what it was about. He cringed inside fearing he messed up already. He spent the next week trying to figure a way to correct his mistake, hoping it wasn’t beyond saving.

The next book Greg brought was something he read many many times in the hopes of repairing his crumbling relationship. He read,

‘When Sorry isn’t enough by Gary D. Chapman.’

and more books in the hopes of figuring things out…well we all know how it turned out. But this time he didn’t even look at him or the book. His gaze was fixed on the floor next to him. Greg sighed, sinking into misery. There it was, he did it again. His eyes dropping to the ground when he noticed the notebook

‘OK. But first coffee’

that “accidentally” slipped out of the posh bag resting against the chair. Greg’s hope came back. Unfortunately he did not wait at the end of the club for Greg’s answer.

Greg could barely wait for the next week, he felt excited like never before. He caught himself just grinning, smiling and his colleagues noticed as well. No matter how many times they asked, how they tried to get it out of him, Greg didn’t reveal his secret. Not that flirting with a guy I sit across for weeks without talking would be a well received answer.

Next time Greg was there way before the club started with two books.

‘Coffee gives me superpower by Ryoko Iwata’ and ‘Saturday by Ian McEwan’

hoping they could settle the date finally. Not that he wanted to rush things, but it would be nice to really meet him, talk to him for a change. He gripped the books, smiling when he arrived. Greg could tell it took him by surprise. The young man walked past Greg giving him a chance to examine him from closer. He sat to his usual chair flipping through his tablet, turning it just for a second. Greg saw the title

‘Monday Starts on Saturday by Arkady Strugatsky.’

so he was working. Greg sighed and sunk to the chair. He looked up hearing him clear his through.

‘A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood’ s

cover was on the screen this time, he was looking at Greg questioningly. Greg nodded quickly, the relief was visible on his face. Greg glanced down at his hand. Oh yes, they did take a holiday to try and figure things out away from home…after which they separated. He could still see the wedding bands imprint on his browned skin. Asking it made total sense now.

The next cover came fast

‘The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs’

Greg ran his schedule through his head and nodded with a smile. Other members started to arrive slowly making him put away his tablet quickly. Greg sat on pins and needles the whole time, hoping in the end they can discuss the place and the time, but the unspeakable happened. He got a text, there was a breakthrough in the case and he had to leave. He felt his eyes on his back as he gathered his coat and left the room.

***

“We got him! Why aren’t you glad boss?” Sally tried to draw Greg out of his miserable state.

“I am, I am.” he sighed. “Just…never mind.”

“Got dumped again?”

“Not per say…never mind.” he tried to concentrate on the paper work.

“Whatever you say boss. This came for you by the way.” she put a package on his desk.

“Thanks.” Greg opened it wondering who could send it. It was just a brown box, nothing written on it, but it passed security so he had nothing to fear. It contained books, the first was ‘Coffee Tea or Me? by Donald Bain’ s colourful cover.

“No way.” Greg chuckled.

The second book was ‘A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay.’

“Sally!” Greg yelled out. “Who brought these in?”

“How should I know?” she shrugged. “Go down and ask.”

“I might just do that.” Greg tapped with his feet nervously as the elevator slowly went down. He stepped out and immediately spotted him. His ginger hair hovering over the crowd.

“Hello.” Greg stepped to the tall figure gripping an umbrella.

“DI Lestrade.” he smiled nervously.

“Greg, please…and you are?”

“Mycroft, Mycroft Holmes.” they shook hands, Greg could finally hold those long soft fingers.

“So coffee?” Greg smirked.

“That would be lovely.” Mycroft blushed. “What do you suggest?”

***

“Love!” Greg yelled down the stairs. “Were you cleaning again!?”

“Yes.”

“Did you by any chance throw out a box I kept in the walk in?”

“No.” Mycroft rolled his eyes. “It’s still there, just not in the middle of the closet for you to fell over it. Now hurry up! Dinner will go cold!”

“Just a sec.” he ran back to the room.

“Here.” he smiled at Mycroft when came to the kitchen with a box.

“We agreed no gifts Gregory.” Mycroft smiled at him. “It’s just a…it’s nothing.”

“Birthday boy gets birthday gift.” he gave it to him.

“Oh, quite heavy.” Mycroft put it to the table, carefully unwrapping it.

‘Peter Rabbit Tales-Happy Birthday by Beatrix Potter’

“Oh…” Mycroft smiled widely. “How adorable, thank you.”

“Go on.” Greg kept glancing at him nervously.

‘The long Dark Tea time of the Soul by Douglas Adams’ Mycroft raised an eyebrow but Greg just nodded to carry on.

‘It ends with us by Colleen Hoover’ was the next.

‘Under the Umbrella by Davina Bell’ followed it, it was again one from Greg’s nieces’ collection.

‘Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz’

And another children’s book ‘Dr. Seuss Fox in socks’

Mycroft had to blink rapidly to keep back his tears. He reached in for the last book with shaking hands.

‘Brief Answers to the Big Question by Stephen Hawking’ Mycroft looked at Greg who knelt down holding up a ring.

“Yes.” Mycroft whispered.


End file.
